Official denies change in US’ position on Taiwan

‘WILLFUL MISCHARACTERIZATION’:Senior US official Evan Medeiros was responding to a statement by the Chinese foreign ministry after the Obama-Xi meeting

Staff writer, with CNA, WASHINGTON

With regard to Taiwan, several important documents that outline US policy on cross-strait relations merely “acknowledge,” but do not endorse Beijing’s “one China” position, they said.

The US’ long-standing policy on the concept of “one China” has been purposefully vague, they said.

Since the UN formally admitted the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1971, US presidents have articulated a “one China” policy, but have never recognized the PRC’s claim over Taiwan nor recognized Taiwan as a sovereign state, they said.

Ambiguity allows the US to maintain a stable relationship with China and to simultaneously support Taiwan as needed, they said.